Here is a couple of picture of my newest English wheel I built about 2 months ago. the upper wheel is 5 inch's wide & 9 inch's diameter it has a top adjuster at present it has 3x3 & a 2x3 anvil sets its quite fun to use. The upper wheel & lower anvil rack also rotate 90 degrees. Her name is Big sally & she is a brute.
Big Sally was built because I wanted a very Nostalgia looking machine she has a 41 inch throat & weighs about 550 lbs. Then there is big Bertha she has a 44 in throat 3x9 billet upper wheel & set up for 3x3 anvils. Bertha weighs in at about 450 lbs it is made of 4x8 1/2 wall tubing quite stout. Now I also have (2) 24 in throat machine's one set up with a rubber wheel for soft rolling. these have 2x3 anvils sets. I do lots of hand fab work & it is nice to be able to just grab a machine to do the job the fastest with out changing a bunch around so i can do small tight reverse curves to full doors, qtrs or even roof skins in a full pass with out banging into sides. Photos of my pullmax next 41 in throat depth & 24 in throat height I can do full fenders in it if necessary.
Nice wheel Dan!! I only have 3 setups now. My 28" red wheel I swap my tipping wheel and rubber top wheel in. My big black wheel I use a 8 in top and 3X3 anvils, and I have a small wheel I have set up for 1x3 anvils. Your right about switching stuff around, it sucks. Jeff
Nothing wrong with four machines if you have a use for them and the space for them. Pretty impressive looking machine there. So... how's it constructed? It looks cast. What's the word?
i'd recognize that old casting anywhere,tis an old bandsaw frame,woodwork origins!how does it hold up flex wise???
Cast Frame for an E-Wheel??? From Metal Meet I understood they were not that good. Too much flex????? But I'm not necessarily drawn to the precission they require on MM. Dyce I've followed you posts both on HAMB & MM. You do know how to shape "tin" Please post some more thoughts on Cast Frames for E-Wheels. I've got an OLD CI band saw 8" height 24 " throat & weights 450#. 18 " wheels.I use it for woodwork at this point but can make it dual purpose for an E-wheel, I use it for woodwork about once a year.
Yes it is a old band saw casting. I was told over at metal meet it would not work. Well they were wrong this is about as sweet a wheeling machine as you could want. All Ewheel's have flex some lots some a little. I have build over 350 Ewheel's & have them in 8 countries. Jeff hows the roadster coming. I really like your windshield frame Danny.
Does the 5" wide upper wheel serve a purpose being so wide? I've usually only seen ones that are equally wide
The wide upper wheel adds great stability when you are wheeling your panels & if it is a large panel it really helps aka, hoods, qtrs, door, skins ect. Its all about having the wright tools for the job.
Check out my BILLET-T. I have front and 18" rear fenders rolled out on an English wheel. Circa: 1985. It is an art and a lot of time and work.
I have a large bandsaw just like the one your using. I thought about converting it to an english wheel frame but blocked up a lever under the top of the C and could flex it all over the place with little effort. How can you do a consistant job when it not rigid? I did exactly as Unkl Ian suggested and put a gear reduction on it to saw metal. It makes a kick ass metal saw now the the speed is compatible. Frank
Steel tube is easier to find than a cast iron frame. And sized correctly, steel tube will be stiffer and lighter. But cast iron looks so good.
I wouldn't scrap a usable tool like a band saw that works to make a 24" e-wheel frame. I would use tubing and start from scratch. All of the issues of flex and strength set aside, steel is just nicer to work with. You can weld to it making it easier to make the mounts. I do like a stiff wheel though....
Hey! If ya like, harbor freight is having a sale this week on their big e-wheel $179 http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...l&r=4419_645651&cust=00042360919&keycode=0000 what is your opinion on this set up?
I saw a picture of an English wheel where the top half was suspended from a beam in the ceiling and the bottom half was floor mounted. The throat was never an issue. He had like 10 feet all around the machine if he needed it. The bottom half was removable and the top half swung up out of the way when not used. .
Nice part with a setup like that, if you did have flex in the "frame" the flats on the wheels wouldn,t go out of alignment. The big trick would be bracing so the wheels wouldn't try to flip off center. I have a big steel deck I store engines on top of I thought of doing that with, but I don't have enough floor space under it now to make it happen. You would need more then just a post bolted to a floor. In this picture you can see how different peices you build can get in the way with the lower tool arm. You need clearance under the arm to do alot of peices. Some panels with reverse curves you need clearance above, or a smaller top wheel. No one machine covers it all. That's why Dan has a whole familly of wheels. I'm sure he was hoping for a boy this time though
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